Automatic train-control system or the like



0. A. ROSS.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED APR-3.1917.

1 399 79 Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR A. BOSS, 013 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE LIKE.

Application filed April 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that OSCAR A. Boss, a citizen of the United States, residing at 55 Hanson Place, borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, has invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Train-Control Systems or the like, of which the following is specification.

My invention relates particularly to that division of automatic train control known as the means for obtaining the indication from the right of way to a vehicle, or moving train and has for its more prominent objects the production of a simpler, more eh'icient, and more reliable means for accomplishing the result desired.

My invention relates more particularly to the class 01' means for obtaining the indication from the right of way to the train known as inductive systems; namely, where the indication is given "from the right of way to train by means or" induced current as said train passes over one, or more of the inductors on the right of way.

As systems of this kind operate on what is termed the open circuit principle it is necessary to check the presence of the inductors and inductive means influenced thereby, including all wires, circuits, etc, involved in successful operation of such a system. One aim of my invention is to entirely check the integrity of such apparatus and circuits whereby it is assured they will be in proper place and in proper operative condition at all times.

All the above and other objects sought are attained by the system which, for purposes or" specific illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a section of a roadway equipped with the circuits and apparatus involved in indicating inductively to a moving train, or'vehicle.

Fig. 2, is also a diagrammatic View of the circuits and apparatus carried by a train, or vehicle which is adapted to cooperate with the circuits and apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

None of the several appliances employed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

1917. Serial No. 159,523.

in this system, are, or need be of any special, or unusual form, or construction, but for a more ready understanding of the system and of its operation, a preliminary description of the devices, or appliances employed may be appropriate.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rails 1-1, form a railway system of which blocks A, B, and C, are shown insulated by insulating joints 2-2. Each block is equipped with track batteries as 2A, and 2B, or their equivalent and track relays as 313, and 3C, or their equivalent. Relay 3C, is arranged to operate, or influence controlling levers 4, 5, 6, and 7, and relay 3B, levers 8, 9, l0, and 11v Signals as 1213, and 12C, are arranged at the entrance to each block for indicating to trainmen the speed performance through said blocks. They are controlled in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. It is suflicient to say that if a block as C, is occupied by a train as X1, that signal 126, vill be at stop as shown. Further, through influence of signal 120, signal 12B, is made to indicate caution as shown. 1 1A, and i l-B, are inductive devices composed of a suitable magnetic core, each pole of which is secured to the opposite track rails 1-1, but suitable means such as insulation may be inserted to prevent short circuiting of the track circuit. Said devices are supplied with suitable winding, as 15, as shown.

Referring to Fig. 2, X2, represents a vehicle, or train of which only one pair of wheel and axle are shown. Located on said wheels and axle and surounding the axle is coil 16, arranged in such a manner that any magnetic flux passing through said axle will effect or induce an electric current in said coil 16.

Also located on the vehicle is relay 17, of suitable coil and core, or armature arranged to operate contact lever 18. Also located on the vehicle is relay 19, operating lever 20. Also located on the vehicle and controlling the brakes thereof is the electro-pneumatic valve EPV. This may be any of the well-known forms of train controlling devices operating to control the speed of a train, preferably of the construction 'as illustrated in Patent #1,072,507 granted to me Sept. 9th, 1913, and is known as the stick type, that is, after the circuit controlling the valve is opened externally, the action of the valve in operating to stop the train also maintains said circuit open at a point remote from the point where it was initially opened. Latch 46, pivoted at 49, is adapted to allow armature 18 to rise but prevent its lowering to close the circuit un til key operated stop 47 has been rotated sufliciently to permit latch 16 to lower below a horizontal plane.

Battery 21, supplies energy for the de-' From battery 2B, wire 22 track rail 1, wire 23, relay 3B, wire 24-, lever 8, wire 25, 26, coil 15, wire 27 lever 9, wire 28, rail 1, wires 29, 30, lever 7, in upper position, wire 31, returning to battery 23. With this circuit established relay 3B, is energized and if signal 1213, were not influenced by signal 12C, it would show clear. The amount of energy through relay 3B, is comparatively very small due to inherent conditions existing in a track circuit and which is known as leakage. For example it is well known that in average track circuits only a small percentage of the energy imposed upon the energy end is delivered at the relay end. Under these conditions the small amount of energy passing through inductive device, as 14A, is not suiiicient to magnetize its core to an extent that will induce an operative currentin the cab circuit of a train as X2, while it is passing even at maximum speed, and a will be more fully hereinafter de scribed.

Assume now that a train, as X1, occupies block C, thereby shunting out relay 3C, causing its contact levers to fall back con tact as shown. Under these conditions relay 3B, is energized by the above described circuit, however the coil 15, of inductive device 1413, has been added in to the circuit in the following manner; from battery 2B, wire 22, rail 1, wire 23, relay 3B, wire 24:, lever 8, wires 25, 26, coil 15, of inductive device 14A, wire 27, lever 9, wire 28, upper rail 1, wire 29, lever 6, wires 45, 32, coil 15, of inductive device 1 1B, wire 33, lever 5, wire 84, returning to battery 23. It will be noted that in the last named circuit the integrity of windings 15, of both inductive devices 14A, and 14B, are checked, as should the circuit of either be opened, relay 3B, would be deenergized calling attention to such defect.

Assume now that a train, as X2, enters block B, traveling in the direction of arrow W. Since train X1, has placed inductive device 1413 in series with battery 213, through action of relay 30; as the wheels and axle carrying coil 16, bridge rails 11, of block 13, said battery 2B, is short circuited through said wheels and axle forming the following circuit:

Indicating track circuit.

From battery 2B, wire 22, rail 1, wheels and axle of train X2, upper rail 1, wire 29, lever 6, wire 32, coil 15, ot inductive device 1413, wire 33, lever 5, wire 3%, to bat tery 2B. In this manner a large current is sent through the coil 15 of inductive device 1413, and said current increases rapidly as said train X2, approaches said inductive device 1413, and is maximum just as the coil 16 passes over coil 15. Under these conditions coil 15 of inductive device 1LB,induces a strong magnetic fiux in its core, and as wheels and axle of train X2, pass over said inductive device a complete magnetic circuit will be formed momentarily through the core, rails, wheels and axle. This circuit is immediately broken as the wheels pass by said inductive device. In this manner a strong current is induced in coil 16, dependent upon the speed at which the said train is traveling. Thepath or" said current is as follows:

0a?) Operating circuit.

From coil 16, wire 35, checking relay 19, wires 36, 37, valve EPV, wire 38, lever 18, wires 89, 40, cab relay 17, wire 11, returning to coil 16. It will be noted that the nductive device MB, is placed some dis tance in advance of signal 120. Assume this distance to be such. that, under service braking conditions the normal speed of train, as X2, will be 20 miles per hour on a decelerating curve which will permit its stopping on or before reaching signal 120. Under these conditions the tension ct spring 18 attached to lever 18 will be so adjusted that when a train as X1 passes over an inductive device, as 14B, at speed in excess of 20 miles per hour, the armature 18 will be raised suiiiciently to latch over latch 46. Therefore should a trainman violate the caution signal 123, and attempt to maintain maximum speed throughout block B, any speed in excess of 20 miles per hour when passing the inductive device as 143 will cause relay 17 to operate and apply the emergency brakes to the train, such emergency curve being of a character which will stop said train before reaching signal 12C, even if it be traveling at maximum speed.

The purpose of lever 18 is to prevent any possibility of closing the circuit which it controls before said circuit is secondarily opened by the electro-pneumatic valve EPV as it functions to apply the brakes to the train.

As the last described circuit is on the open circuit principle, it becomes necessary to check the presence and integrity of all wires, apparatus, etc.; therefore the following circuit is maintained:

(Jab checking circuit.

From battery 21, wire 42, lever 20, wires 43, 40, relay 1?, wire 41, coil 16, wire 35, relay 19, wire 36, and 14C, returning to bat tery 21. With this circuit maintained, lever 20 maintains a circuit to the valve EPV, as follows;

Electro-pnemn-atic oaZ vc circuit.

From battery 21, wire 42, lever 20, wires 43, 89, lever 18, wire 38, valve EPV, Wires 37, 44:, returning to battery 21. It will be noted this circuit can be opened through two sources, the lowering of lever 20, which would be caused by an opening of the circuit containing the coil 16, or by raising of lever 18, which would be caused by current of a substantial amount passing through relay 17. Therefore should a Wire break, or should the circuit be otherwise opened, relay 19 would be deenergized thereby operating valve EPV, and stopping train, callin attention to such defect in the circuit.

fhese and other operations, or means are applicable to my system and are referred to to show its extreme flexibility and value generally as a means of obtaining the indication from the right of way to a moving train and involving a system of automatic train control.

The invention as I have indicated, does not depend upon the use of any specific form of apparatus for accomplishing the functions and purposes hereintofore set forth.

What I claim is:

in a system of the kind described, a vehicle, a roadway therefor divided into blocks, track circuits therefor, inductive means on said. roadway included in one of said track circuits, means for disconnecting each of said inductive means from one track circuit and connecting it to another and means for utilizing said inductive means.

2. In a system of automatic train control, in combination: a trackway; means dividing the trackway into track circuit sections, each sea-tion including a source of current connected across the rails at one point and a relay connected across the rails at another point, the circuit of each relay including the energizing coil of an inductor; means controlled by each relay for connecting the adjacent inductor in a partial circuit including a source of current and the rails of the sec tion wherein the inductor is located whereby an approaching train may complete said partial circuit through its wheels and axle, and means for utilizing said inductor.

3. In a system of automatic train control, in combination: a trackvvay; means dividing the trackway into track circuit sections; a relay for each section; a source of current for each section; an inductor for each section; means controlled by the relay of each section for including the relay of an adjacent section and the inductor adjacent said last mentioned relay in a series circuit including the source of current.

4. In a system of automatic train control, in combination: a trackway; means dividing the trackway into track circuit sections; a relay for each section; a source of current for each section; an inductor for each section; means controlled by the relay of each section for including the inductor adjacent thereto in a partially series circuit including the source of current.

5. In a system of automatic train control, in combination: a trackway; means dividing the trackway into track circuit sections; a source of current for each section; an inductor for each section; a relay for each section; means controlled by the relay of each section for including the source of current adjacent the relay, the inductor adjacent the relay, the relay of the section in the rear and the inductor adjacent the relay of the section in the rear in a series circuit.

6. In a system of automatic train control, in combination: a trackway; means dividing the trackway into track circuit sections; a source of current for each section; an in ductor for each section; a relay for each section; means connecting the relays, the inductors and the sources of current whereby a defect in the connecting means or the group of devices at any location results in rendering the inductor at the next location in the rear abnormal.

7. in a system of automatic train control, in combination: a trackway; means dividing the trackway into track circuit sections; a source of current for each section; a relay for each section; an inductor for each section; means connecting the track circuit section, the source of current, the relay and the inductor whereby an energization of a particular character may be caused in the inductor in the track circuit section next in the rear of a train and whereby a defect in any of the connecting means for one inductor may cause a similar energization of the inductor next in the rear thereof.

In testimony whereof, Osoan A. Ross, has signed his name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of March, 1917.

OSCAR A. ROSS. 

